Instructor Highlight: Christa Lawcock

Christa Lawcock
Associate Broker
Principal Residential Group at Realty Executives

Christa Lawcock has been in the real estate industry full time for 27 years, and she’s been an instructor for many of those years. But if you talked to her before her time in real estate, she would have told you she’d never get into the industry. 

Her mother was one of the first women brokers in Arizona. Watching her mom while growing up, Christa said, “Never.” 

Christa was a writer, a public speaker, and had a successful career in sales before medical challenges from two strokes forced her to take a new path.

It was then that Christa decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a real estate agent… thinking it would be easy after watching her mom for so many years. 

“Anyone can do real estate, but it takes hard work to make it a full time gig. I learned that very quickly…and owed my mom an apology! These days, people watch HGTV and think it’s that easy… it’s not!”

Christa went on to explain just how competitive the market is, sharing that about 8% of agents make the majority of the real estate revenue in Arizona, and one out of every 16 Arizonans has held, currently holds, or plans to get a real estate license. “The numbers are just crazy!” 

So, while there is a place for everyone in the market, it’s not an easy lift to make real estate your full time job. She has a few pieces of advice for the newbie agents out there who want to make it in the industry:

1. Answer your phone! You have to be available when the clients need you, otherwise, they’ll move on.
2. Everybody knows everybody in this town. Keep this in mind on every interaction you have in the real estate process. 
3. Go to tours regularly and make connections. Build relationships so other agents know you.
4. Your reputation will make–or break you! And your clients, too! 

When asked about her favorite part of real estate, her answer thrives on the competitive market: “You eat what you kill.” Meaning, it’s up to you to go out and do the work to get the sale. There are, of course, other factors to take into account, but for the most part, if you follow through in your process, you’ll find success. 

“It takes time, but building a team or a network you can trust is key. You need someone who can handle the call when you take a vacation or to create a better work life balance.”

And when asked about why she loves being an instructor, she said:

“I like the fact that I can give real world examples to help students grasp course concepts. Sharing what I’ve learned in the industry makes me feel like I’m giving back to the real estate community.”

Christa is an Associate Broker with Realty Executives, specializing in historic, Central Corridor, and urban living homes. In her free time, Christa enjoys hiking and traveling. Last year, she even traveled to Spain and walked a portion of the Camino de Santiago. Christa also loves rehabbing homes, specializing in historic homes and high rises.